Cyan Energy joined ÅKP and OASIS to the Netherlands: — For me and the company, the trip was an eye-opener.

Photo: Bjørn Bjerke from Cyan Energy in conversation with the commercial director of the port in Amsterdam, Allard Klinkers. 

Cyan Energy was one of seven promising growth companies that qualified for the first OASIS pressure tank in Scheveningen, the Netherlands, an initiative  under the Interreg project OASIS*. The pressure tank was organized by DMEC (Dutch Marine Energy Centre). As an OASIS partner, ÅKP traveled out with Cyan to introduce them to the opportunities in the Dutch market.

—A Awakening

Bjerke believes that the program and the trip were of great value for Cyan Energy, which is an incubator company at ÅKP: 

— We participated in a very useful tour with Amsterdam port and gained an understanding of how Cyan Energy can fit in with what they do. ÅKP managed to set up a one-on-one meeting with the port's commercial director, Allard Klinkers, Bjerke reports, adding:

— It was very important for Cyan Energy to have an awakening about how right our technology lift is in relation to the needs in central Europe.

Intense Days

Photo: Group picture of the participants in the Netherlands who gathered for the pressure tank. The image belongs to Oasis.

In advance, we had put together a carefully selected program, and through intense days, Cyan participated together with six other European growth companies in workshops and one-on-one meetings with experts and innovation leaders from companies such as Invest NL, Subsea 7, POM West Flanders, and Tractebel. In addition, the company got unique access to Amsterdam port, including shore power facilities, truck chargers, and battery packs. Also, a concrete meeting with the port's commercial management.

— Without being physically present in the market and meeting these actors directly, Cyan would never have achieved this development in just a few days, says ÅKP's advisor Peter Tonning-Olsen.

Opened Doors

Cyan Energy combines solar, wind, hydrogen, and batteries with the power grid and offers charging capacity of up to 1.5 MW, enough to meet the demanding needs of future electric transportation solutions. The visit to the Netherlands has strengthened the company's understanding of how they can contribute to stabilizing the power grid in Europe – and at the same time opened doors to new opportunities in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Bjørn Bjerke says more specifically about the benefits of the trip: 

— Through the commercial training, it became clear that Cyan Energy can offer a lot. One area is to help local grid providers in the Netherlands and Belgium to maintain frequency and voltage through Cyan's innovative solutions that combine wind, solar, and hydrogen power. Furthermore, we can provide charging stations designed to produce their own energy and deliver high capacity without burdening the power grid, which in turn will help stabilize networks by reducing the need for capacity sharing and grid expansions.

During a tour of the port in Amsterdam.

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Bjerke adds: 

— We can also assist grid providers in leveraging battery capacity to handle peak loads and ensure a stable power supply; this will improve operational efficiency and reduce costs. Additionally, we can contribute to managing peak loads. This is because batteries can be used to handle periods of high demand, thereby reducing the load on the power grid and minimizing the risk of power outages.

Does your company represent new opportunities in energy storage? OASIS will be accepting new companies this fall that wish to receive assistance in strengthening their business cases. Contact ÅKP's advisor Elisabeth Remøy to find out how you can best benefit from the program. You can reach Elisabeth at elisabeth.remoy@aakp.no

Bjørn Bjerke (right), CEO of Cyan, in action during a presentation in the Netherlands.

*The OASIS project is funded by Interreg and Møre og Romsdal county municipality. This is an EU program to promote social and economic integration across borders through regional cooperation.